Sigmoidoscopy to diagnose ulcerative colitis

[Deardonkey]

DD has just been diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis. DD had a sigmoidoscopy a couple of days ago which showed distal colitis.

DD didn’t really take in much information and I wasn’t allowed in the hospital with her due to Covid so we left with a few questions. Does anyone know if a sigmoidoscopy would show pan colitis or does it not reach as far as that - DD said it only went about 25 cms but didn’t know if her inflammation stopped before that.

Sorry to hear about your DD, but at least with a diagnosis treatment can start. The Crohn’s and Colitis charity has lots of useful info.

In my experience a flexible sigmoidoscopy is normally the first option, and then further tests happen off the back of it. So the extent of further inflammation would be diagnosed by a full colonoscopy.

How old is your DD? I was 15 when I was diagnosed with severe Crohn’s, but 20 years on it’s just part of life now, as opposed to the all consuming thing it appeared to be at the start

I believe distal is much more common than pan colitis, so there is a good chance it doesn't extend further.. but either way your daughter will be put on medication asap and with any luck (and probably a few med tweaks) she will feel a lot better quickly.
My ds2 was diagnosed with distal uc 18m ago, (aged 21) but had probably had it for years.. he was dismissed as having irritable bowel until we saw a different GP who agreed that pooing 20 times a day with more blood than anything was not Ibs.. sent him for the scope and he was on meds by the afternoon!
He's on pentasa tablets and enemas and sometimes steroids and his life is SO SO much better now.

My dd has just had test results back from a stool sample, saying it's high for inflammatory markers and she's being referred to paediatric services. The thinking is UC or Crohn's but she is not passing blood. Any thoughts?

Hi @crossstitchingnana did you daughter end up having colits ? Or chrons ? I had calprotectin test and the doctor thinks I have ibd waiting on appointment x

No, it turned out to be fine. I have UC though. I had forgotten all about this test my dd had.

If it is IBD then at least you'll know. When I was diagnosed it meant I could start treatment and I got better. My UC is well managed and I have years of remission. I look at it as a silver cloud as I really look after myself as a result of having it. Good luck.

@crossstitchingnana I’m waiting till I have my baby so I can have a colonoscopy this all started in February this year where I was having urgency to go with bloody Diarrhea Stomach cramps literally take my breath away awful and also having brown mucus sorry TMI 🤦🏻‍♀️
always feel like I need to go the rookie but then when I do go I feel like I’ve not completely been
having a nightmare it’s not knowing what’s causing me to have these problems
I did have a calprotectin tests in March and it’s came back at 157 so doctor said slightly elevated but still needs investigating with symptoms and clearly I have inflammation too
I’m doing another calprotectin test tomorrow see what my next ones are like
just hope it’s not anything serious that’s what worries me got long wait to go yet to have colonoscopy as they said it’s to risky to do anything with me while pregnant as it can cause misscarge she said on the phone
all my symptoms went away for 2/3 months but it’s back again brown mucus not feeling like emptied my bowels stomach cramps every morning till o have been toilet 🤷🏻‍♀️

im
glad you are symptom free xx

@crossstitchingnana If you don’t mind me asking what was your symptoms before being diagnosed ?

Hi, I'm a student nurse and I've worked on an endoscopy unit during placement. A sigmoidoscopy doesn't got all the way around the colon, only the rectum and sigmoid colon. The scope itself is much shorter than those used for a full colonoscopy so wouldn't be used to diagnose pancolitis, they would use a full colonoscopy. So it could be that the inflammation stopped after 25cm as the scope would be 35 or 60 cm. Have you seen her discharge summary?

I had UC diagnosed from a sigmoidoscopy, the dr doing the scope said that I would need a colonoscopy as it looked like the inflammation went higher but my consultant said afterwards that there was no point as the treatment would be the same.

I spoke to the hospital last week and she said if symptoms carry on she will do a sigmoidoscopy for me as I wanna no what’s wrong with me something isn’t right driving me insane but because I’m 5 months pregnant she said she doesn’t really want to be doing it but will if needs be

@Glwysen what was your symptoms like before being diagnosed ? My mind doing over time thinking what is wrong I’ll see what my next calprotectin test is like if the levels are higher and I’m still getting all these symptoms calling them up and asking them to see me miserable living like this not knowing what’s wrong

My son's faecal calprotectin was 1200 he had UC diagnosed on a sigmoidoscopy but then had a colonoscopy to get a full picture. He's struggling to get it under control at the moment and has needed high dose steroids as the asacol was affecting his kidneys and despite that the calprotectin stayed up.

I have Pancolitis and it was diagnosed after a colonoscopy. Prior to that i'd had a colonoscopy and two sigmoids. My original diagnosis was Proctitis.

From experience a sigmoidoscopy wouldn't go far enough to diagnose Pancolitis.

There's a brilliant forum on Facebook connected to the Crohns & Colitis UK charity. Lots of very knowledge people on there who can provide advice and support.

Lou9817
my symptoms were similar to yours tbh. Try not to worry.

@crossstitchingnana oh really yeah I hope it is something like chrons or uc I’d prefer non but I just don’t want it to be anything serious can’t wait have this appointment now see what’s happening